diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 968ac2af763..f78450e299a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -189,7 +189,6 @@ SUBARCH := $(shell uname -m | sed -e s/i.86/i386/ -e s/sun4u/sparc64/ \
 # Note: Some architectures assign CROSS_COMPILE in their arch/*/Makefile
 export KBUILD_BUILDHOST := $(SUBARCH)
 ARCH		?= $(SUBARCH)
-CROSS_COMPILE	?=
 CROSS_COMPILE	?= $(CONFIG_CROSS_COMPILE:"%"=%)
 
 # Architecture as present in compile.h